


Secrets and Friendships

by VulgarMaiden



Series: Secrets & Relationships [4]
Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Eavesdropping, I just love my girl Ran okay, M/M, Meitantei Conan Movie 23: Konjou no Fisuto | The Fist of Blue Sapphire, POV Alternating, Ran accidentally learns the truth, She deserves to be in on the secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 21:47:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29339298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VulgarMaiden/pseuds/VulgarMaiden
Summary: Ran and Conan both have their perception of reality shaken.(This part is very Ran-centric. Also includes rewrites of scenes from movie 23).
Relationships: Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan/Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid
Series: Secrets & Relationships [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1875922
Comments: 8
Kudos: 77





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I actually had this in mind ever since the beginning of this story, but I was unsure if anyone would like it. However, I had a lot of fun writing this so I decided to post it anyway.

-Ran-  
Ran's sharp, violet eyes narrowed against the cold, night air, her gaze trained steadily on the figure of the seven-year-old boy running up the sidewalk through the yellow light of the street lamps ahead of her.

Conan-kun had slipped away from the crowd the second the magic show part of the heist ended. Presumably, he was off to confront the thief and return the jewel, which was perfectly fine, except recently it had been taking him a very long time to accomqplish that task. Ran wasn't worried, per se, she knew he was smart, and she trusted that Kaitou Kid would never hurt him, but at the same time, it wasn't good for a seven-year-old to stay up so late!

The kid entered the large revolving door of a fancy, well-lit hotel. Ran followed, wondering what part of the notice had given Conan the idea that Kid would be at such a place, and what on earth it had to do with the heist… She lingered behind as he caught an elevator to the top floor, then calmly waited for the next one.

Five minutes later, she was standing in the doorway that lead out onto the roof. The door itself had been left wide open allowing the cold, night air to blow in down the stairs.

-Conan-  
Conan squinted up at the large, green gem in his hand, turning it one way, then the other, watching the moonlight glisten and refract on the highly polished facets.

"Glaring at it won't make it Pandora," Kaito said, leaning back on his hands and gazing up at the stars.

The detective frowned. "I know," he mumbled, sitting down beside his boyfriend, continuing to turn the stone over in his hands. "I just can't wrap my head around your story…"

"Yeah… I'm not always sure I believe in it myself," the thief sighed.

Conan hummed in response, his mind occupied with reviewing the details surrounding Pandora and Kaito's family history.

Silence settled over them. A gentle breeze buffeted their faces, carrying the distant clamor of the traffic below, but the detective didn't notice any of it until his boyfriend pulled him out of his thoughts by pulling him into his lap.

"It's not gonna get solved tonight," Kaito murmured, hugging the small detective close, "don't worry about it."

Conan sighed and slid the jewel into his coat pocket for safe keeping until he could return it to the police later. He rested his head against Kaito's chest, and allowed himself to relax.

Heists were some of the few times they got to see each other. Sure, he'd been to the magician's house since they started dating, but with everything else going on in their lives, they just couldn't see each other as frequently as they wanted to. Sometimes they just needed a few minutes to cuddle.

The very first time they'd embraced at a heist, Conan had been extremely worried about being seen by anyone, _especially_ the police, so Kaito was always very careful about making sure his dummy would lead them far away from their actual location, helicopters and all.

-Ran-  
Ran's grip on the doorjamb tightened. Part of her wanted to dash over, rip Conan out of Kid's arms and demand an explanation. The other part of her was wrestling with confusion, and the desperate hope that this was some kind of misunderstanding.

Conan hadn't seemed scared or resistant when the thief had pulled him into his lap… in fact, the two appeared to be _extremely_ calm and relaxed with each other. Hugging also wasn't _technically_ anything to be concerned about, even if it was weird…

A thought occurred to her, and an icy dread crept into the pit of her stomach. _If Kuroba-kun was Kaitou Kid it could explain how they're so close… but… that would mean Conan-kun knows he's Kaitou Kid, and— OH MY GOD, DID I SET MY BEST FRIEND UP WITH KAITOU KID??!!_ She squeezed her eyes shut tight and shook her head. It wasn't the time to worry about Shin'ichi's relationship.

A quiet sound came from the top of the roof-access building Ran was lingering in. The clicking of high heels on concrete. It stopped just a short distance away from the girl's head. For a moment, everything was silent, except for the frantic racing of her heart.

-Conan-  
A shrill, woman's laugh shattered the peaceful calm that had settled over them. Conan nearly jumped out of his boyfriend's lap, but Kaito clutched him tighter to his chest, muttering a curse under his breath. The detective peered over his boyfriend's shoulder. Behind them, a woman dressed like… like some kind of fantasy sorceress- complete with a golden snake staff and matching jewelry- was standing on top of the roof-access building.

"Who is that?!" Conan whispered in a panicked hiss, as Kaito stood up, setting the detective down on his own feet.

"A classmate of mine…" The magician grumbled.

They turned to face the mysterious woman together.

"Kaitou Kid," She spoke with an amused smirk. "It's been awhile~."

"I thought you were done trying to kill me," Kaito shot back.

Conan blinked. _Kill him?? Is she that dangerous??_

The woman laughed again, holding the back of her hand to her mouth like an anime villain. "I was merely biding my time. When the Lord or Darkness told me about you and the Knight of Light, I just had to come see for myself."

Kaito's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "What do you want?" He demanded.

The woman smirked. She stepped off the top of the roof access building and- and appeared to gracefully descend an invisible staircase, until she was standing on the roof with them.

"I'm here to speak to Kudou-kun this time, actually," she said, turning her sharp gaze on the detective.

Conan's breath caught in his chest. _She knows about me? How?!_

"Akako…" Kaito's voice was thick with warning, his eyes narrowing into a glare.

The sorceress- Akako, apparently- held her hands up, as if to placate the magician. "Relax," she said, "I'm not gonna hurt your precious 'Tantei-kun'." Then she turned to address the detective directly. "Kudou-kun… do you believe in magic?"

Conan's eyes narrowed with suspicion. He glanced up at his boyfriend for some kind of sign about what this lady's deal was, but Kaito simply… looked away.

"No…" He responded carefully, "I don't." Sure, he was a bit baffled by her invisible stairs trick, but obviously there had to be a logical explanation behind it.

The woman's smirk grew into a wicked grin. She lifted her right hand, and with it, the small detective was hoisted into the air. His heart rate spiked as panic gripped his chest, arms and legs flailing as he tumbled around in nothingness.

 _Wha-? What's happening?? How is she doing this?!_ In his bewilderment, he tried to rationalize it, but there was nothing attached to him, no vent blowing air up from below, and certainly nothing magnetic!

"Akako!!" Kaito shouted. "Put him down!!"

Conan couldn't see what she did next, but he was suddenly blinded by a burst of yellow light that seemed to consume his entire being. In the blink of an eye, it was gone again, and he was being slowly lowered back down to the roof.

His feet touched the solid cement and he wobbled a bit, having temporarily lost his sense of balance, not to mention, it had been awhile since he'd been so tall. He stared down at himself. The transformation had been immediate and completely painless, and perhaps most shocking of all, his clothes had grown with him.

"Shin'ichi…" Kaito whispered, stepping closer. The detective turned to face him, speechless from a combination of awe and horror at the thought that magic was… real. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but smile as he gazed into the magician's eyes. Neither of them spoke, too enamored by their partner to bother with words. Kaito lifted a gloved hand to gently caress his lover's face. Shin'ichi's eyes drifted shut as he leaned into the warm palm.

Akako cleared her throat. The boys frowned and glanced over at her. "I can permanently return your body to normal," she said to the detective, " _if_ … you break up with him."

The detective's eyes narrowed to a fierce glare. He put his arms around Kaito's shoulders, pulling his boyfriend close. " _Never_."

"I see…" The witch murmured. She snapped her fingers and suddenly Shin'ichi's feet were dangling in midair as his child-sized arms clung around Kaito's neck. The magician was quick to grab him, holding the smaller boy comfortably in his arms. Akako turned and began walking towards the edge of the roof. "See you in class, Kuroba-kun," she said with a brief wave of her hand, and then, she vanished.

Kaito scowled and grumbled something under his breath, then immediately turned his attention to his boyfriend. "Are you okay??" He asked, voice laden with concern as he knelt down to set the detective on his own feet.

"I- yeah- I just… I don't understand…" He took a moment to sigh and rub his temples, attempting to collect his thoughts. "Is magic really… real?"

Kaito sighed as well and pulled the detective into a warm, comforting hug. "Yeah…"

"But, it doesn't make any sense!" Conan complained, burying his face in his boyfriend's shoulder.

"I know… however, it does seem to be extremely rare. I highly doubt you'll ever run into a case that has anything to do with magic."

Conan groaned.

-Ran-  
Ran drew in a slow, deep breath through her teeth, wide eyes gazing into the darkness of the descending staircase. Her back was pressed against the cold wall beside the open door, in the corner where she was hidden from view. Everything that had happened in the past few minutes swarmed her mind.

_Shin'ichi… is Conan, and Kuroba-kun is Kaitou Kid… and… they know each other's secrets and they're still dating… And to top it all off… magic is real??_

Part of her felt like just sliding down the wall and hugging her knees to her chest, huddling up while her brain was occupied with sorting through the barrage of shocking realizations, but she knew "Conan" would soon be heading back to the museum, and she didn't want to confront him about the truth yet, so instead, she quietly took off down the stairs and ran to the elevator.

Her heart hammered in her chest as she stood in front of the unmoving doors, glancing from the floor number above to the staircase down the hall. If Conan came down before the elevator arrived… 

The doors opened and Ran dashed inside, repeatedly pressing the 'close doors' button, and finally breathing a sigh of relief only once the conveyor began descending.

Once safe, her mind began spiraling again. _The Conan I know doesn't exist… it's been Shin'ichi this whole time…_ She collapsed against the back wall and held her head in her hands. _I suppose I did suspect it at times, but… to think that it's actually true…_

 _And Kuroba-kun also!!_ Ran pushed her hands up her face and gripped fistfuls of her hair. _He seemed like such a good guy… I guess if Cona- er- Shin'ichi is still dating him, he must have a good motive of some kind… Wow… I might be one of only a handful of people in the world who knows the identity of Kaitou Kid!_

Out of the hotel, she returned to the museum to meet back up with her dad and Sonoko. Soon after, Conan came running back as well.

Ran watched him hand the jewel off to a police officer before he walked over to their little group.

"Ready to go?" She asked, a casual smile forming easily on her lips as she looked down at her best friend.

He smiled back- the bright, innocent smile she'd come to know so well from Conan-kun- and replied with an up-beat, "Yep!"

A pang of grief struck the girl's heart, mixed with the tickle of a suppressed laugh from knowing it was her best friend in that tiny body, having to act like a child. A child she'd really grown to care about over the last several months…

They left the museum and saw Sonoko off, then returned to the detective agency. There, Ran collapsed face-down on her bed, and breathed a heavy sigh into her pillow.

She let the mixed emotions wash over her one after the other like gentle waves rolling over the beach.

Conan-kun was gone… but her best friend was back, kind of… at least she knew where he was… What had happened to him?? She knew he was able to change back temporarily but… would he ever return to normal again? Was he… safe?

_Oh, Shin'ichi… what did you get yourself in to…?_


	2. Chapter 2

-Ran-

Ran gazed vacantly down at the sizzling pan of eggs; her body going through the usual motions of making breakfast while her mind continued to mull over the events of the previous night. The more she thought about it, the more questions it brought up.

Like… _How many people know Conan's real identity? Is Ai-chan also a shrunken teenager? Hondou Eiusuke-kun and Sera-chan were both very insistent about meeting Conan-kun when they first arrived… Are they involved somehow??_ Actually… a lot of the people they'd met since Shin'ichi "disappeared" were suspicious… _Is the FBI involved too? Is that why they're here?? Just how big is this thing…?_

"Morning, Ran-neechan," Conan yawned as he walked passed the kitchen, startling the girl out of her thoughts.

"Good morning," She replied, finding it remarkably easy to smile, even if it wasn't 100% genuine. She moved the pan off the heat and began preparing plates for everyone.

Most of her questions could probably be answered if she just told Conan she knew the truth and asked him about his situation directly, but… that came with its own set of issues. Would he be mad at her? Would he be able to continue staying with her and her dad? Would it… put her in danger?

In the living room, when everyone was sat around the kotatsu eating breakfast, while the news reported on the heist from last night, Ran found herself watching Conan out of the corner of her eye. He looked just like a normal kid. The only thing that gave even a slight hint to the fact that there were secrets behind those spectacles, was the way he smiled ever-so-slightly every time the tv said "Kaitou Kid".

Ran couldn't help but smile as well. There was something… almost fun about knowing Conan's identity, while he was oblivious to the fact that she knew. It was certainly the perfect opportunity to tease him.

"Ah, Conan-kun, you got something on your face," she said. Before he could react, she licked her thumb and swiped it from the corner of his mouth over his cheek. He immediately recoiled, his baby-face contorting in disgust.

"Ran-neechan!" He complained, wiping the saliva off his face.

"It's gone now," she said, hiding her amusement behind a kind smile.

"You baby him too much," her dad muttered.

Two weeks later  
-Still Ran-  
In the time that had passed since that heist, Ran remained quiet about her knowledge, instead choosing to simply observe Conan and the people around him. She became so used to things being the way they were, that when she first saw Shin'ichi approaching their small group in the airport, her first assumption was that it wasn't Shin'ichi at all.

"Surprised?" He asked with a friendly smile.

"Y-yeah… I thought you couldn't make it…" She said, still staring as if he was a ghost. (Actually, she wasn't entirely sure he _wasn't_ ).

"My schedule cleared up at the last minute," he explained, "I arranged things with Sonoko to surprise you."

Ran glanced over her shoulder at her other friend. The rich girl grinned and held up a peace sign.

"I see… Well, it's good to see you!" She smiled.

 _I guess I have no reason to think he's not Shin'ichi, since I know he can change back temporarily…_ she thought, as they both listened to Sonoko gush about how excited she was to see Makoto. __Besides, it's not like Kaitou Kid has any reason to go to Singapore.__

At least, she hadn't seen any thing in the news about a heist notice, only the karate tournament. An image of the tournament poster arose in her memory; a man mid-kick, standing in front of a round, blue gem. The two dots snapped together like magnets.

-Conan-  
"Was it okay?" Kaito asked, zipping the suitcase back up.

"It was fine, I just slept the whole time," Conan muttered, stretching his arms above his head and squinting his eyes against the blinding sun that scorched the tropical country. "I can't believe it worked…"

Kaito smirked, standing up with the empty suitcase at his side. "Is it the craziest thing you've ever done? Willingly being smuggled into a foreign country?"

The detective rolled his eyes. "I still think dating a criminal is the craziest thing I've ever done." His boyfriend chuckled.

-Ran-  
Is this… how detectives feel when they discover the piece of evidence that ties everything together?

She had already been convinced that the Shin'ichi that had traveled with them to Singapore was actually Kuroba-kun, but seeing him with that kid… a kid that looked identical to Conan in almost every way, thoroughly confirmed her theory.

"Ran! Come here," the disguised magician had noticed her staring and waving her over.

She made direct eye-contact with him, trying her damn hardest to convey, " _You smuggled your boyfriend here?!! What the hell were you thinking?!!_ " without words. Whether or not he got the message was unclear.

"Apparently this kid lives here," he said, gesturing to Conan-kun.

The detective smiled and introduced himself as "Hirai Arthur". Ran's shock and panic eased a little. She also had an act to keep up.

"Sorry! I was just so surprised!" She said, giving the boy an apologetic smile, "I really thought you were someone I know."

"It's okay, Shin'ichi-niichan was saying the same thing."

-Kaito-  
Singapore was beautiful at night, especially from above, with someone special in your arms.

"What happened? Why are you soaking wet??" Conan asked.

Kaito sighed. "That Leon guy tazed me and flooded the place," he muttered.

"What?! Are you okay??"

"I'm fine, just a little sore," the thief assured his parter. Conan gave a sigh of relief. "I didn't get the jewel though."

"I'm just glad you're okay… I was worried about you," Conan said.

Kaito tightened his grip on the smaller boy in an attempt at a comforting hug. "I know…"

They landed on top of the Marina Bay Hotel, behind some decorative trees and shrubbery by the infinity pool, and emerged as two normal guests. A short distance away from them, Ran was laying on one of the plastic beach chairs. Her hair was wet, as if she'd been swimming already, but had since changed out of her swimsuit into a simple tank top and long, loose skirt.

"Shin'ichi, there you are," she said, getting up as they approached.

"Sorry we took so long," Kaito apologized.

Ran waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine. I know you just got here, but… I actually wanted to talk to you about something."

"Oh, uh… okay."

"Come on." She grabbed his wrist and began leading him away from the pool. "It won't take long. I just need your advice on something."

Kaito glanced back at Conan. The detective simply shrugged as the thief was dragged away.

"So… what do you need advice on?" Kaito asked, following the girl through the hallway to her hotel room.

"Nothing. I just said that so Arthur-kun wouldn't follow us," she said, stopping in front of her door and opening it with the key card. She motioned for him to go in first.

"Why? Is it about love, or something? Do you have a crush on someone??" He asked, strolling into the empty room.

"No, it's not that," she said, shutting the door behind her. She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. Her violet eyes caught the magician in an intense glare he'd only seen once before, on an blimp several months ago. A sliver of dread crept into his chest. "You're _not_ Shin'ichi."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Kaito asked, remaining composed on the outside, even as his senses went on high alert and his mind began searching for a way out.

"You always seem to use his face when you're around," she accused, stepping forward. "Where were you in the last hour? Stealing the sapphire??"

"Wha-? No! Ran, I'm _not_ Kid!" Kaito insisted, taking a couple steps back.

"I _know_ you are," she said. "The real Shin'ichi doesn't call my dad 'Occhan', and he definitely doesn't smuggle kids over the ocean!"

Kaito's eyes widened. _How does she…_

"That's right," Ran approached the magician, "I know Arthur is really Conan-kun, and you had _better_ make sure he gets back to Japan safely," she threatened, pointing a finger in his face.

Kaito gulped, both hands up in surrender, watching the karate captain as she slowly backed off. _This is bad… but if she's relying on me to get Conan back, it probably means she won't-_

The girl's intense aura vanished as she began laughing. "Sorry, sorry!" She giggled, "I really scared you, didn't I?"

Hesitant relief washed over the magician and he began laughing as well. "Y-yeah, I was really convinced you actually thought I was Kid for a second there. Did Sonoko put you up to this?"

Ran shook her head, her whole demeanor much more relaxed than before. "No, everything I said was true. I know you're Kaitou Kid, and I know that kid waiting for us back at the pool is not only Conan, but Shin'ichi, your boyfriend."

Kaito stared as her words registered in his head. A series of emotions flickered through him. Shock, horror, and finally, confusion.

"Wha… what?"

Ran sighed. "Yeah… I thought you should know. I wanted to assure you that I won't tell anyone. I don't think you're a bad person, and Shin'ichi obviously trusts you, so I'll trust you too." She smiled, soft and genuine.

Kaito staggered backwards and sat on the edge of the closest bed, feeling like he'd just gotten off of a rollercoaster.

"Sorry, it's probably a lot to take in all at once," the girl said, walking over to sit beside him. "Are you okay?"

"I… yeah… How… how did you…"

"Your heist two weeks ago… I followed Conan to the hotel and saw everything that happened with the witch," she explained.

"I see… and you haven't told Shin'ichi yet?" Kaito asked.

Ran shook her head. "I'm kind of afraid to… which is actually another reason I wanted to talk to you first… Kuroba-kun… is Shin'ichi okay?"

-Conan-  
The detective leaned against the wall a short distance away from where everyone else was gathered outside of Sonoko's hospital room. He knew he should be working on gathering information and solving the case, but he was worried sick about Kaito. Everything had taken a turn for the worse with the discovery of Rachel's body in the room with the sapphire, and the magician wasn't responding to his texts.

He took a deep breath, rested his head back against the wall, and closed his eyes, trying to convince himself that Kaito could handle the situation.

A pair of soft footsteps approached. "Arthur-kun, are you alright?" Ran asked, kneeling down beside him.

He looked over and forced a smile. "I'm just worried about Sonoko-neechan, that's all."

"I see… for some reason I thought you might be worried about Kid-san," she said, laughing at the absurdity.

He blinked in surprise. _Why would she think that?_ It's was true, but…

The girl shrugged and ran her fingers through her long hair sheepishly. "I guess it's just that _I'm_ a bit worried about him…" she admitted.

"You… are?"

"Yeah, I know you've never met him before, Arthur-kun, but I've seen him a few times, and even though he's a thief he's never been the type to hurt someone… I'm certain he didn't kill that lady."

Conan stared at her, unsure exactly what to think about her strange and entirely unprompted words.

"Well, if you want to find him, you better go do it." She smiled, then stood up and left him alone again.

He watched her leave, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. _She knows something…_ But she also right about him wanting to find Kaito, so instead of worrying about her at the moment, he took off to find his boyfriend.

-  
"Kaito!! Are you okay?!!" Conan ran across the roof and fell to his knees beside the magician.

"I'm fine…" Kaito sighed, finishing up the last bit of work on his bandages.

"I can't believe they shot at you…" Conan mumbled, lifting his hand to delicately trace the edge of the white, medical tape wrapped around the thief's arm.

"I got away," Kaito shrugged.

The detective's eyes met his boyfriend's in a disbelieving glare. "They _shot_ at you," he repeated.

"You shot at me too, at that clock tower," Kaito said with a teasing smirk.

"That is _completely_ different," Conan muttered, "I wasn't trying to hit you…"

The magician closed the lid of the first aid kit and swiftly pulled the detective in to a tight hug. Conan tensed and held his breath, partly because he was caught off guard, and partly because his boyfriend was still shirtless.

"You're gonna solve this mystery and protect me, right?" Kaito murmured in a soft whisper. Conan sighed, relaxing and lifting his arms up around Kaito's neck.

"Of course," he replied, resting his head on the magician's shoulder, "I just… I worry about you so much…"

"I worry about you too…" his boyfriend said. "You get into so much danger. I mean, just think about how many times you've almost _died!_ And I'm not always there to save you!"

Guilt struck Conan's heart. "I… I'm sorry, I-I never considered…"

Kaito's arms tightened around the detective in a comforting squeeze. "I love you."

"I love you too."

-Back in Japan-  
-Still Conan-  
Conan stared at the half empty glass of orange juice on the kotatsu in front of him. The news was on quietly in the background of the Mouri's living room, but the air between him and Ran had gone silent after she finished explaining how she'd learned his (and Kaito's) secrets.

Eventually he sighed. "I knew you were babying me more than usual… I didn't realize it was on purpose…" he muttered. His friend laughed.

"Yeah…" she said, smiling to herself. "I… I understand why you had to keep it a secret from most people, but… why from me?"

Conan sighed. "I was worried it would put you in danger… If the Black Organization finds out, they'll kill everyone that knows about them, but I guess… I've already put several people's lives at risk. First the Professor and my parents, then Hattori, then Kaito, and now you…"

Ran hummed and nodded, then she gave a reassuring smile. "I'm okay with that. And if there's anything I can do to help, just tell me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t always respond to comments, but I want to say thank you to everyone who has commented. You’re feedback always makes me smile!
> 
> Thank you!

**Author's Note:**

> I’m curious if anyone liked this, so let me know what you think!


End file.
